Why Merle Haggard Wrote ‘America First,’ the Song Suddenly Getting a Revival as JD Vance’s Campaign Theme
variety.comChris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic Country legend Merle Haggard has been brought into the national spotlight again, thanks to vice presidential candidate JD Vance repeatedly using one of the late singer’s anthems as his walk-up music during the Republican convention this week.
It’s not one of Haggard’s better-known classic songs the VP pick has adopted, but a later composition that was released in 2005 and didn’t really get a lot of subsequent pickup until now: “America First.” The Haggard tune played on a loop several times as Vance made his way through the convention floor Monday night, then appeared again Wednesday as walk-up music as the Ohio senator took the stage to deliver his speech. “America First” stood out at the GOP gathering as a song that is legitimately political, unlike the litany of mostly rock oldies being performed live by a house band from Nashville called Sixwire (including Fleetwood Mac’s “Don’t Stop” — yes, the Bill Clinton convention anthem — that the group played as Vance’s walk-off number).
Haggard is claimed as a hero by fans on both sides of the political aisle, who were alternately delighted or aggrieved by his music being appropriated by Vance.
So what was Haggard’s actual intent in writing “America First”? And would he approve of Vance adopting it for a conservative political campaign?
Read more on variety.com
